It is well known that searching online for data can yield video, text, audio and image results. It is also established that searching mechanisms online or locally cached searching mechanisms can search a user's own computer for documents, emails and media stored on the user's computer. Currently, search mechanisms for multimedia such as Microsoft's Media Center®, Google.com®, Youtube.com®, Mac operating systems such as OSX®, iTunes.com®, PC operating systems such as Windows®, email services and programs and TIVO® all integrate search mechanisms to locate specific data. Each system is able to locate data whether it be email, music, video, audio, documents or images.
Unfortunately, the existing conventional uses have certain limitations in use, distribution and deployment. Most search mechanisms above compartmentalize the search process to specific kinds of data within the realm contemplated by the search engine. For instance, iTunes.com® locates all media stored or available within the iTunes® system, which is a small subset of all available video, images and audio online. iTunes® also only searches for data stored on its own format and program, not through the user's locally, or remotely stored available data. Email programs only search emails sent and received. The Media Center® only searches media identified by the Media Center System® to the user's local computer and peripherals. Operating systems typically only allow a user to search what is stored locally on the user's computer except for separated searches, not cohesive to the searches for what is stored on the user's computer using installed search engines such as Google®. Search engines such as Google® search across different media formats such as text, images and video but do not organize the data in a way that integrates other devices to the data in a useful manner, such as how the Media Center® functions. Google® also fails to present the data from different media searches, for example, images and text, in tandem. Google® searches for different media forms and are conducted via separate menu selections for separate media forms. This process is multi-stepped and results in the organization of different media materials of the same subject not being in a single cohesive list, which necessitates the user merging lists of search results and performing multiple searches to access integrated multimedia data. Once accessed and formed into cohesive lists, the user still has no simple way to access certain forms of media, store them, pay for them and network other devices to the stored media to play, display, alter or share the media.
Accordingly, there is a need for an integrated search system for media that creates an environment where media may be searched for across platforms of the user's stored media and all other media available both online and offline. The need for a system that searches across all media forms and then presents the options to organize search results, access media, purchase and store, synch, attend, reserve, interconnect, share, and transfer all within a cohesive interface would simplify the cumbersome processes that now exist to integrate the search and results for varied media forms online.